Magazine cover-removing machine



Feb. 5, 1952 W. J. HAVELY MAGAZINE COVER-REMOVING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1948 2 SllEETS-Sl-IEET l ww uw Feb. 5, 1952 W J, HAVELY 2,584,346 Y MAGAZINE COVER-REMOVING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 l'mventor WML/AM J HA VELY Gttorneg Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE COVER-REMOVING MACHINE William J Havely, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Mekana Strip Company, Inc., Arcadia, Calif., a corporation of California Application December 4, 1948, Serial No. 63,471

S Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for removing the`r covers of magazines and is an improvement of the machine disclosed in my pending'application, Serial No. 11,495, filed February 27, 1948 which has become abandoned.

`Anobject of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine that conveys successive magazines from a stack past means that raises, opens .and finally severs the covers of the magazines before depositing the coverless magazines in overlapping relation for ready removal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated that embodies novel adjustable means controlling the feed of the magazines according to the thickness thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved cover-lifting means that is adapted to be adjustably positioned according to the width of the magazines handled by the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of the character indicated, means for feeding magazines from the bottom of a stack thereof, whereby a continuous uninterrupted operation is obtained since the stack can be replenished during operation.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The'invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of thepresent invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

lin the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views:

Fig. lisa top plan view of a machine accordeltheilgbest Shows in the drawings. .the nre-s4 ent machine, like the one shown in said penuing application, is mounted on wheels or rollers to be mobile for ready movement to a position adjacent to a pile of magazines to be fed to the machine. v

The machine that is illustrated comprises, generally, a frame Il) that is L-shaped, a conveyor I I for feeding magazines I2 from a stack I3 thereof., a hopper Ill for holding the magazines in stacked,

condition, adjustable gate means I5 for gauging the opening through which the magazines are fed, means IG for lifting the covers of the magak down means for said bodies, means I'Ia for sevtilted from thefront upwardly and rearwardly to 401 29 between plate 28 and front rail 22. A somef ering the covers from the bodies of the magazines, means I8 for receiving the severed covers, and means I9 for receiving and conveying away the coverless magazines.

The frame I0 comprises a set of front legs 20, a set of back legs 2|, a front upper rail 22 connecting the front legs, a back upper rail 23 connecting the back legs, and suitable transverse connecting members 24 connecting the front and` back legs. The frame further comprises horizontal members 25 that extend transversely at one end of rails 22 and 23. In the present machine, the conveyor II is horizontally disposed but is insure a uniform path for the magazines fed thereby. Accordingly, the frame I0 is further provided with a front lower longitudinal member 26 and a rear upper member 2I parallel to rails 22 and 23 for supporting conveyor II in said tilted position.

The frame IIJ, at the rear, is provided with a top plate 28 that extends between rail 23 and member 21 and with a sloping conveyor platen what similar platen 30 extends between members 25 for conveyor means I9. Such other members that may be needed to brace the frame members above described may be provided in the usual manner.

The conveyor II comprises an endless belt V3I, the upper run of which rides on platen 29. Pulleys 32 and 33, at opposite ends of the belt are mounted in suitable bearing blocks 34 on members 26 and 21 to hold the belt for movement longitudinally of the upper run in the direction of the arrow 34a (Fig. 1).

Drive of the belt is eiected by an electric motor 3 5, through a pulley and belt connectionV 36 to ranged transversely on the outer face of the belt and these are spaced at a slightly greater distance from each other than the length of the longest magazines to be handled by the machine. Fig. 1

clearly shows this spacing of the cleats. v Also, the A v cleats are made of a thickness to feed the thinnest of magazines from stack I3 without 'encountering the magazine next above in said stack. However, for relatively thick magazines-those approaching the present maximum of one-half incheach of the cleats may be provided with magazine-pushing clips of suitable height to insure proper feed.

The magazine-receiving hopper I4 is located adjacent the oncoming end of the upper run of belt 3l and need only comprise a front wall 4'0 and a side wall 4I. A back wall 42 is provided only to lend rigidity to the hopper. The magazine stack I3 is placed directly upon belt 3I with the bound backs ofthe magazines resting against hopper wall 40, the hopper being sloped to accord with the slope of the conveyor. This slope of the conveyor which, in practice, is some 18, insures that the magazines, as they are fed, retain a position against and in sliding engagement with rail 22.

The wall 4I has it lower edge 43 considerabl above the conveyor as best seen in Fig. 3 and it is to this wall that gate means I is applied to gauge the space between edge 43l and the conveyor belt. Said means I5 is shown as a plate 44 applied against the outer face of Wall 4I and held thereagainst for adjustment in guides 45 by means of a threaded stem 46 connected to said plate, a fixed threaded nut 47 through which the stem extends, and an adjusting handle 48 on said stem. It Will be evident that by rotating handle 48, the lower edge of gate plate 4'4 may be adjusted relative to the upper surface of the conveyor belt to allow only the lowermost magazine of the stack I3 to pass thereby.v To insure against -mutilation of said lower edge of the gate plate in the event of an 'improper adjustment, the same may be resilient to yield to a maga zine. A rubber strip 49 may be provided to afford such resilience. Thus, for thin magazines, the gate plate may be adjusted quite low-even to be engaged and flexed by the magazines being fed and yet retaining the magazine next above.

'Ihe means I6 comprises a free-running suction device 5D and a finger member 5I associated therewith, the former acting to lift the cover 52 of each magazine I2 as the same is'fed and the latter holding said 'cover lifted until the same is engaged by the cover-opening means I'I.v

The suction device 50 comprises a free-running wheel 53 that has its periphery in gravitational contact with the magazine covers and rolls on its center by virtue of frictional engagement with said covers as the magazines are fed. Said wheel, by means of radial walls 54 is divided into a series of radial ducts 55. The wheel thus provided is mounted for free rotation on a tube 56 which has therein downwardly facing openings 51 and as many progressivelysmaller openings 58 angularly related thereto asmay be required. It will be evident that the duct 55'which is aligned with the largerv openings 551 will be'subject to foi suction to a greater degree than those ducts that are aligned with the smaller openings 58. Thus, as seen in Fig. 5, as a magazine I2 is moved toward the left, and encounters Wheel 53, the cover 52, due to the strong suction in that duct which faces directly downward, will be drawn by the suction force against the periphery of the wheel and Vraised thereby. As the magazine moves to the left, the initially downwardly facing duct will move from register with the large openings 51 to register with the smaller openings 58, thereby reducing the suction force holding the cover against the wheel periphery. This reduction of suction force continues as the magazine moves further to the left and permits the raised portion of the cover to pull away from the wheel as the same continues to turn and the magazine continues its straightline movement toward the left.

By placing the forward edge 53 of finger member 5I below and adjacent the wheel, but slightly above the magazinev cover, as said cover isr flexed upward as above described, said edge 59' will be introduced between the cover and the body of the magazine to hold the cover raised as the magazine progresses in its feed movement.

The tube 5E extends toward the rear of ther machine and is then downwardly curved at 60' to extend through an elongated opening 6I formed in top plate 28. A iiexible hose connection 62 extends from tube endr 6U, and a suctionv fan 63, driven by an electric motor 64, connects to the yopposite end of said hose connection. A pair of trunnions 65 extend from the sides of tube 55 just beyond the bend therein; said trunnions being arranged in notched seats 66 provided in brackets 61 on said top plate 28. Thus the device 55 is freely tiltable on the trunnions so that the wheel 53 thereof falls gravitationally into.`

engagement with the magazines as v.the latter move by. Since magazines vary in width as well as in length, two or more sets of seats 65 may as shown in Fig. 7. Therefore, once relative ad-l justment of said nger member and wheel 53-is made, the same need not be disturbed and both together are moved when adjustment of wheel 53 is made.

The means I1 comprises a plate 69 that is hingedly connected to the frame I at 'I0 and is supported by a ledge 'II to be spaced above the upper run of the conveyor belt 3|. Said plate is formed with a nose I2 that is immediately adjacent to vfinger member 5I and which holds the magazine cover 52 raised after the same leaves said finger member. The forward edge 'I3 of said plate slopes toward the front of the machine toward an upwardly, 'forwardly and laterally sloping shoe I4 that has the function of engaging the raised magazine cover and turning the same until it lies open in a plane substantially parallel to the body of the magazine, said cover,

thereby, projecting forward of the from; of the" machine as shown best in Fig. `1. It is Whilethel cover 52 is in this condition that the s ame is' severed 'from the bodyof the magazinel by means II-a. l Y

Plate-69 alsoserves'fas' a Al'ioli--down V'for the Thus the wheel 53 canl magazine while the cover is being severed tov prevent any of the pages of said magazine from being lifted While the cover is being opened. Between said plate 69 and gate plate 44 and extending along and rearward of rail 22, there is pro--v vided a hold-down plate 15 that is positioned above the bound edges of the magazines to prevent upward displacement while their covers areV being lifted, particularly of those magazines tha are of light weight.

The cover-severing means |1-a is driven from motor 64 by a belt. and pulleyo drive 16 and comprises a rotary cutter 11 set vertically in a notch provided therefor in the rail. 22.. .'Ihe upper portion of the cutter extends above the top edge ofv the rail and is in a position to slice through the covers of magazines, adjacent. their bound edges.,

as they move beneathplate 69. Fig. 6 best shows this arrangement.

The severed covers are collected in means I8.

which comprises a receptacle. 18 positioned at belt 3|, and a conveyor. belt 8|),v the top run of which slides along and is supported by said platen. Said latterbelt is driven from jack shaft 31, through bevel gearing 8|, a shaft 82, and a belt and pulley drive 83. This drive is relatively slower than that for belt 3| and, as coverless magazines fall from said latter belt onto belt 8U. they overlap. vone with the other, as. seen at the left of Fig. 1, to make ita simple matter to remove a batch of, magazines from said conveyor for baling or bundling while the 4 machine is operating.

. Should it be desired, for magazines of different sizes, meansv may be provided for varying the re1- ative speed of conveyor 80, as by introducing change gears between the ends of shaft 82.

The machine aboveprovided needs but onel attendant for keeping the stack I3 replenished,

removing the accumulations of covers in receptacle 18 and for removing coverless magazines from conveyor belt 8|). Although the machine is designed for a large output, a single operator can easily attend the needs of the machine.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l. A machine for removing the covers of magazines comprising,`in combination, a conveyor, a hopper for holding a stack of magazines with the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor, spaced members on the conveyor for feeding the magazines from the stack, successively, suction means in the path of feed of the magazines and including a free-running Wheel in peripheral engagement with the covers of said magazines and rotated by the covers during movement of thev magazines, said suction means lifting the cover of each magazine, a finger member beyond said. wheel and positioned in the path of the magazines to extend into the spaces between the bodies of themagazines and the lifted covers thereof to hold said covers` raisedrafter release by4 the suction means, amemberv in the path of.

further movement of .the magazines for outwardly turning the raised covers, and means in they path of. the outwardly .turned covers for severing said covers from the bodies of the magazines adjacent the bound edges thereof.

2. A machine for removing the covers of mag-v agazines comprising, in combination, a conveyor, a hopper for holding a stack of magazines with the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor, both the conveyor and the hopper being tipped in a direction transverse to the movement of the conveyor to hold the stack of magazines gravitationally at-the low side of the conveyor,.

spaced members on the conveyor for feeding the magazines from the stack, successively, suction means in the path of. feed of the magazines and including al free-running wheel in peripheral engagement with the covers of said kmagazaines and rotated -by said covers during movement of the magazines, said suction means lifting the cover of Veach magazine, a finger member beyond said wheel and positioned in the path of the magazines to extend into the spaces between the bodies ofthe-magazines and the lifted covers thereof to hold said coversraised after release` by the suction means, a member in the path of lfurther movement ofthe magazines for outgagement with the covers of said magazines and.

rotated by said coversA 4during movement of the magazines, means mounting said suctionmeans for adjustment in a direction transversely of the conveyor,-said suction means lifting the cover ofeach magazine, afinger member beyond said wheel and positioned in the path of the.rnag.

azines to extend into the spaces between the bodies of the magazines and the lifted covers there-` of to hold said covers raised after release bythe suction means, a member in the path of furtherl movement of the magazines for outwardly turning the raised covers, and means in the path of the outwardly turned covers `for severing said covers from the bodies of the magazines adjacent the bound edges thereof.

4. A machine for removing the covers of mag azines comprising, in combination, a conveyor, a hopper for holding a stack of magazines with the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor, spacedmembers on the conveyor for feeding the magazines from the stack, successively, suction means in the path of feed of the magazines and including a free-running wheel in peripheral engagement with the covers of said magazines and rotated by said covers during movement of the magazines, said suction means lifting the cover of each magazine, a finger member beyond said each other, means mounting the vsuction means and finger member for adjustment -in a direction transversely of the conveyor, a member in the path of further movement of the magazines for outwardly turning the raised covers, and means in the path' of the outwardly turned covers for severing said covers from the bodies of the magazines adjacent the bound-'edges thereof,

5. A machine for removing the covers of magazinescomprising, in combination, a conveyor, a hopper for holding a stack of magazines vwith the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor, spaced members on the conveyor for feeding the magazines from the stack, successively, suction means in the path of feed. of the magazines and including a free-running wheel in peripheral-engagement with the covers of said magazines and rotated by the covers during movement ofthe magazines, said suction means lifting the cover of each magazine, a nger member beyond said wheel and positioned in the path of the magazines to extend into the spaces between the bodies of the magazines and the lifted covers thereof to hold said covers raised after release by. the suction means, a member in the pathV of further movement of the magazines for outwardly turning the raised covers, said member comprising a plate spaced above and transversely coextensive with the conveyor and beneathwhich the bodies of the magazines move, said plate having a nose that enters into the space lbetween the body of each magazine andthe raised-cover thereof to hold said cover raised after the same` leaves the ngermember, said plate being provided With an upwardly angularly directed shoe part that outwardly turns the cover held raised by said nose, and means in the path of the outwardly turned covers for severing said covers from the bodies of the magazines adjacent thek boundv edges thereof.

6. A machine for removingthe covers of mag.V

azines comprising, in combination, a conveyor, a hopper for holding a stack of magazines with the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor, spaced members on the conveyor for feeding the magazines from the stack,` successively, suction means in the path of feed of the magazinesand including a free-running wheel in peripheralengagement with theV covers of said magazines and rotated by the covers during movement of the magazines, said suction means lifting the cover of each magazine, a finger member beyond said yond and beneath the severingv meansfor collect-1v ing the severed covers. and a conveyor beyondthe discharge end of and below the magazine-feeding conveyor for receiving the coverless magazines.

.7.A machine for removing the covers ofmag,

azines comprising, in .,combination, a conveyor..

a hopper for Vholding arstack of magazines with. the lowermost magazine resting on the conveyor,

', spaced members on the conveyor for feeding the magazines rfrom the stack, successively, suction means in the path of feedof the magazines `and includinga free-running' wheel in peripheral engagement with the covers of said magazines .and rotated-bysaid covers duringy movement of the magazines,` saidsuction means lifting the cover. of-eachi magazine, a finger member beyond said wheel and positioned in thepath ofthe magamovementof the magazines for outwardly turning the raised'covers, means in ther path. of thel outwardly turned coversk for severing said covers from the `bodies of the magazines adjacent the.

boundedges thereof, 'a receptacle beyond and beneath the severing'means for collecting the severed covers, a conveyor beyond thedischarge end of and below the magazine-feeding conveyor for receiving the coverless magazines, and means for Vdriving the magazine-receiving conveyor at a slower' rate than the feeding conveyor, wherebythe coverless magazines fall thereon in overlapping Y relation to each ,.other.

8. A machine of the character described, comprising a cutter, means arranged to move a series of bound books one after the vother in a direction toward and-beyond said cutter, means in the path of movement of the books and in advance of the cutter to raise one outer sheet of each booknas the same moves therepast and to dispose said sheet in a position to bey severed from the body by said cutter when the book movespast melatten-'collecting means beyond the cutter to receive-the booksfrom which an outer sheet hasv been severed,'and collecting means Adisposed lat-1 erally of said path of movement and between the cutter and the book-collecting means lto receive the severed sheets.

WILLIAM J .Y HAVELY.

REFERENCES CITED TheV following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,007,080 Evans Oct. 31, 1911 1,744,814 Swart et al Jan. 28,1930 1,854,131 Gebhardtfet al Apr. 12, 1932 1,874,173 Davis Aug. 30, 1932 1,976,788 4Kurth Oct. 16, 1934. v2,093,654 Bellamy Sept. 21, 1937 `2,110,980 Swift Mar. 15, 1938 2,163,450 Upham June 13, 1939y 2,279,269 Tornberg Apr. 7, 1942 

